If Walls Could Talk
by Brigid the Fae
Summary: In a big house, there are many rooms to explore. There are also many stories to be told, especially from the people packed inside. A collection of extra scenes from 'Call Me Maybe' that wouldn't fit or were trimmed for length.
1. Lost in Translation

A/N: I think I mentioned in one review reply that I had some ideas and scenes that either wouldn't fit the Call Me Maybe storyline or were cut down because the chapter was already long enough. Well this is a collection of scenes that I thought y'all might like to see. No spoilers for the actual story, as these can be looked at as AU drabbles. They're in no certain order, just whenever I run across one and check it for grammar, etc.

x.x.x.x.x

"You have not been teaching our daughter our native tongue?" Haldir was not angry with his wife, but he was surprised to learn this bit of news.

"Dear, we have spent well over a century in this realm, where there were no others of our kind that spoke the language. Teaching Ithilwen to speak fluently in our language before now would have been about as productive as putting a halfling on a diet." She sighed, lifting her mug of tea to her lips. "If it will make you feel any better, I have taught her some."

"How much?"

"She knows the basics and can formulate simple sentences, but to carry on a full conversation would be a struggle."

"We should correct this," He stated, staring at the table. "I do not blame you. Given the circumstances of your arrival here, your reasoning is justified. Our daughter should be able to walk proudly through Middle Earth with her people as if she had never been taken."

Haldir's wife nodded, and was about to open her mouth to agree, when the two heard a commotion coming from the den.

"Now you are just being mean, Legolas!"

"How is that being mean?"

"You know very well that I am just starting to pick the language back up! Giving me a long note to decipher is not what I would call a beginning lesson!"

The two looked up from their gaze on the table top to hear a crash come from the den. Abandoning their drinks, the couple ran to the source of the sound, only to be met with an interesting scene before them. The noise of the crash came from the leather loveseat being tipped over during a struggle, and the cause of the struggle was tossed about the floor. Ithilwen was straddling Legolas' chest, stretching and groaning in frustration as she tried with one hand to reach the book that he had held out of her grasp. Her other hand was fighting with the elf's other hand, slapping at it in an attempt to lean forward more.

It was the giggling from her mother that caused Ithilwen to stall her actions and look up to see both of her parents watching from the doorway with mixed expressions. Her mother was amused, but her father... she could not tell if he was baffled or furious. "What is going on, and are the two of you alright?"

"We are fine, Nana," Ithilwen began, slapping once more at Legolas' straying hand. "Or at least I will be when Legolas gives me back my book."

"Why do you have Ithilwen's book?" she asked the prince kindly.

"My Lady, I was merely teasing Ithilwen by telling her to solve the note I had written her without the book's assistance," he answered politely, but could not hide the cheeky grin or glimmer in his eyes as Ithilwen attempted to make another grab at the book.

Haldir had said nothing thus far, and neither Ithilwen nor Legolas were sure if that was a good thing. He simply stood there and stared while his wife talked. "Well, I am relieved to hear that the two of you are well. You should be more careful," she said, turning to direct her husband back to the dining room. "Oh, and Legolas," she added, "There are plenty of other ways that you can tease Ithilwen besides taking her book."

The innocent statement seemed to carry a heavy innuendo that the other three elves caught on to, and interestingly enough, left all in some level of sputtering.

x.x.x.x.x

A/N: What'd you think? :) Chapter 36 of the actual story is moving along, at this point I'm just about at the reunion bit where all the OCs will make a guest appearance. I've got finals this coming week, along with the last of my course assignments, four art commissions, and my sister driving down from Kansas City. Daylight's spent cleaning up but at night it's either art, school, or fanfic, and believe me I've been doing my best to squeeze some time in. In the meantime, I fixed the link to my tumblr on my profile, so now it ACTUALLY goes to the tagged page of Call Me Maybe art. I also added a sketch of Ithilwen and Legolas, so there's that. Hang tight, lovelies – it's just been apocalyptically insane at my house right now. ;)


	2. Innuendos

"Come on, Legolas!" Ithilwen whined. "Let me see it!"

"For the fourth time, no!" Legolas laughed.

"Pretty please?" she begged.

"Not going to work."

"Why not?" she pouted.

"Because I said so," he grinned.

In the hallway, two eavesdroppers were grinning from ear to ear. Aragorn and Glorfindel were standing on either side of the bedroom door, listening to the conversation. Glorfindel couldn't help himself, despite the former ranger's protests, and called out, "Yes, by all means Legolas, show it to her!"

There was silence from in the room before the door swung open, and to both of their disappointment, found Legolas and Ithilwen dressed in their pajamas.

"Like I told Ithilwen, the answer is no."

"Aw, don't be a tease!" Glorfindel continued. "Give the elleth what she wants!"

"I'm not done with it yet," the elf protested. Aragorn nearly choked.

"What do you mean, you're not done with it?!"

Legolas waved the spiral sketchpad in the air, and for the first time, both man and elf understood what the argument was really about. Ithilwen stood behind Legolas, trying to reach for the sketchpad, only to be thwarted in her attempts as he held it higher above his head.

"Do I have to get on my knees and beg, Thranduilion?" Ithilwen huffed loudly.

Aragorn fought back a laugh as Glorfindel said, "Why couldn't you have said that when the door was closed?"

Legolas was about to form a retort, only to be interrupted by a new voice in the hall.

"What on earth is all of the racket about out here?" Haldir asked, walking up to the group.

Ithilwen spoke up first, "Legolas is being a tease, Ada!"

At her outburst, Glorfindel cupped a hand over her mouth and interjected with, "He is, Haldir. Legolas won't let her see what he's got, no matter how many times she asks him."

Haldir looked from his daughter to Glorfindel, then to Aragorn, who was failing at hiding his smile, and finally to Legolas, who had lowered his arm and was turning pinker by the second. "I should hope for his sake, if he wants to keep it, that he shall refrain from showing it to my daughter."

Legolas went from pink to red at the insinuation. Aragorn put his fist in his mouth. Glorfindel had turned Ithilwen loose, and was now bent over laughing hysterically. Ithilwen groaned.

"Ada…" she sighed. "That's not what Glorfindel meant! Legolas did a drawing of me when I was asleep, and he won't let me see it!" For emphasis she pointed in the direction of the sketchpad he held; unfortunately it was parallel to Legolas' waist. Said elf quickly held up the sketchpad to be better seen, lest the marchwarden think something else again.

Haldir looked at Legolas, who was now glaring daggers at Glorfindel. "I see," he said finally. "When the four of you are done monkeying around, breakfast should be ready." Without another word, he descended the steps.

Ithilwen whipped around to look at Glorfindel. Legolas, seeing her swivel, held the sketchpad once more out of her reach in the off chance she were to dive for it. Aragorn chuckled and followed Haldir's example, knowing that if he didn't get away soon he'd have to bandage his knuckles from biting them.

Feeling reassured when Glorfindel straightened for air, Ithilwen smacked him in the arm. "You are too twisted for color TV," she said.

x.x.x.x.x

A/N: Really now, y'all weren't thinking of something else, were you? ;)

I've been feeling guilty for not getting much work done on the story, and I only just now remembered I had this on my flashdrive. I'm just now getting caught up on my homework, and with a few more close art deadlines, I can't guarantee a quick update. :( Hang in there with me; believe me, no one wants me to update more than I do. Lol

By the way, if you've seen something mentioned in Call Me Maybe that you'd like to see, let me know and I'll make a note of it. That's what If Walls Could Talk is for; if I had added the stuff here into the story (provided it fit), the chapters would never end...and while that sounds good on paper, you know you'd have to pee sometime. XD


	3. Fright Night Delight

With the power out across the city, there wasn't much to do other than sit about and talk, but talking would only stretch so long before people tend to grow silent. That was what happed to the occupants of the manor house. Night had fallen, and while many of the "adults" were content to recline in silence about the house, the younger generation was restless.

"Who wants to hear a scary story?" Ithilwen said from her perch on the loveseat and against Legolas' side. She had taken to using him more as a pillow when they shared the small piece of furniture, something he saw no harm in. The elves, dwarf, and hobbits, and humans scattered around the room showed interest and curiosity in the dim light of the candles.

"A scary story?" Eowyn asked.

"Yeah, it is a fun thing that mortals here like to do to pass the time. Fiona and I like to go online and read up on some scary stories; like that Slenderman game we played." At the murmur of confirmations, Ithilwen stood up, much to the disappointment of Legolas. "Everybody get down in the floor. I need someone to sit directly in front of me for this to work, and everyone else needs to sit in close around us."

"I will take the challenge," Tauriel said, as the others stood and began to move. Elrond, Galadriel, Thranduil, Miraear, Haldir, and Morwen remained in their seats watching the younger ones move about. Tauriel sat down in front of Ithilwen, who motioned for her to sit so close that their knees touched. Legolas sat to Ithilwen's left, Glorfindel, Erestor, and Lindir to her right. The hobbits and Gimli sat across from Legolas beside Tauriel, with Eomer, Eowyn, Faramir, and Fiona around him. Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn huddled around Tauriel's other side.

Ithilwen had extinguished the nearest candles, so that the remaining elves sitting back observing would still be able to see what they were doing. She produced a small flashlight that she turned on and placed face up between herself and Tauriel. "Why must we sit this way?" Tauriel asked curiously.

"It is the best way to tell this story," Ithilwen replied. "Okay, everyone needs to stay as quiet as they can. This is a doozy of a story, and if you miss a part of it, the end will not make much sense." she looked around the darkened room at everyone in turn, and spared a quick glance at those remaining on the far couch. She thought she caught a glimmer in Galadriel's eyes, and was worried that the older woman knew what she was up to, but the small smile she detected showed no signs of admission. Turning back to face Tauriel, she began. "Want to hear a scary story?" Tauriel nodded energetically, eager for the story to begin. "It is the scariest story that I have ever heard. I have never been able to forget it," she assured. "Are you SURE you want to hear this one...?"

Tauriel's response was a wide smile and more eager nodding.

"Okay," Ithilwen breathed. "My friend William had a friend in high school named Jake. This was back when Jake had recently moved to Burgess. It was a new development area, so his house was really new and flawless and pretty devoid of anything weird or spooky. It was just really, really normal. The houses to the right and left of him were new too. The owners weren't exactly super outgoing but not unpleasant. Across the street, there were three empty houses. Two for sale, and one that was under construction still. It was mostly just inner and out framework. So it was mostly just a skeleton of a house, with stairs and floor but no walls. Instead it had huge sheets of transparent plastic hanging down in random areas, forming halls and rooms where there might be drop offs into nothing on the other side or brick set for the fireplace. Jake didn't think anything of it. One night, he looked out his bedroom window, across the street to the empty house. He wasn't sure why, but something felt off. In the orange of the streetlamp, he couldn't figure out what it was, till he saw a few black shadows creeping along the alley between the two yard fences. The persons, dressed in black hoodies, slipped inside and probably did some tagging or something. This theory seemed to prove correct when the construction workers the next morning removed some plywood with spray paint on them. "

As Ithilwen set up the framework for the story, she paid close attention to how Tauriel was holding herself. The elleth was relaxed and curious. She did not want to break the spell of the story telling by looking around, but she could feel the same presence from the rest of the company.

"The second night, Jake was lying in bed. He was literally hovering just on the edge of sleep, when he felt the hair on his arms prickle and his stomach turned ever so slightly. He thought, for a moment, that he heard a shrill scream. He couldn't tell if it was his ears ringing, or if he really heard it. His watch said 1 a.m. He went to the window and looked at the empty house. He thought he saw a small flashlight beam move inside, swinging this way and that, and then clicked off. Being a smart guy, Jake called the police station and told them the address of the house, saying that there might be some vandalism going on. He did mention that he thought he heard a scream. They said "We have an officer in the area, we'll send him by." So Jake waited by his window. Around 3 a.m., he got tired of waiting, and thought about just going back to bed. But then he saw something move in the house. One of the plastic sheets, over a square of what would be the upstairs window- it the same house plan, so it would be the exact window of Jake's bedroom- was moving. "

Tauriel gasped slightly. Eowyn and Arwen might have as well, but Ithilwen was too caught up in story to pay close enough attention.

"The plastic was being drawn aside like a curtain. A few inches of darkness showed in the crack between the frame and the plastic. Then, Jake saw the cop car finally pull onto the street, with the lights off. The car silently prowled down the street. The plastic at the window withdrew, shut again. The cop car merely drove slowly by, paused briefly in front of the house, and then moved on. "What the heck?" Jake said, slightly miffed. He would have thought the cops would actually look around, but they just drove on through. Suddenly, he was blinded by a flash of light. The plastic of the opposite window was whipped aside quickly, and whomever-or whatever- was inside the construction house, it had turned on its' high beam flashlight, and was shining it straight into Jake's eyes across the street. Jake gasped with the blindness, and saw purple specks for a moment, stepping out of the beam and back against his own wall. Then the light flickered off. Jake stepped towards his window cautiously- looked out- nothing. But whomever it was knew that he was there. Someone knew that Jake was watching." Ithilwen made a point of clicking the flashlight on and off as she reached this section of the story for added effect. This time she did hear gasps from each of the women, and quite possibly from Gimli, who covered it with a slight cough. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning.

"On the third night, Jake uncomfortably shut his curtains and tried to sleep. Sometime around 2:30 a.m., he thought he heard some sort of thump. A sound sort of like wood scraping on wood. He woke up, blearily pulled his curtain aside, and looked at the barely-constructed house across the street. This time, he wasn't surprised when he saw a light moving inside. And this time, it was unmistakable- he heard someone scream. It was a quiet, sobbing sort of scream. Then it was muffled. Jake lost no time- he put on shoes, grabbed a flashlight from his desk, and on the way down the stairs, grabbed his dad's crowbar from where it hung on the entrance to the garage. Rather than leave through the front door with full visibility, he went out the back door. Crept around the side of the house. Down the alley between fences. He tried to avoid the orange sphere of light cast from the streetlamp as he crossed the street. He went boldly to the dirt patch to the foundation of the house. Then he began to tiptoe, moved aside a sheet of plastic, and went in through the front door. He began to examine the first floor. There was nothing but hanging sheets, forming awkward halls and unexpected dead ends. He very narrowly stepped into a hole where the stairs for the basement hadn't been completed. A hard breeze picked up from the south, carrying through the house, causing the plastic sheets to rattle and move as if being bumped from someone on the other side of them." She blew low and lightly to create the effect of a shrill whistle in the air. Tauriel and the others were beginning to lean forward in anticipation, and the elleth before her shivered slightly at the sound of the noise.

"Jake heard a scratching noise on the ceiling above him. Like something heavy was being dragged across the second floor. Above his head, thump, drag, thump, drag. Someone was stepping heavily, pulling something behind it, stepping again, then pulling something heavy across the floor. Jake took a step towards the stairs, when the floor creaked. The movement upstairs instantly stopped. Jake held his breath. Something upstairs was holding perfectly still, too. The silence was long, and unbearable. Jake decided- to hell with this waiting around. He went up the stairs, purposefully and determined, not stomping, but not tip-toeing, either. Let 'it' know he was coming. "

As Ithilwen continued to speak, the lot of them jumped slightly at the sound of something thumping in the room. No one was willing to look around, or they would have seen Galadriel softly stomp her bare foot on the carpeted floor in time to the story.

"Jake went up to the landing, and avoided the edge of the hallway, as there was no railing to hold onto to keep from falling downstairs. He went around the corner, to the wall-less room where he heard the scraping. He shoved the plastic sheet aside, blaring his own flashlight into the room. 'Who's there?' he demanded. His own voice sounded small and silly now, as the room appeared to be completely empty. But it was a broad, long room, the length of the whole house. His flashlight was weak and did not reach the farthest frame- to the square window that faced Jake's room. So he walked forward, hoping to stand at the window. That was when he noticed the tiny, pin prick of light. It was small, in the corner, hovering a few feet above the ground. As if someone- huddled or kneeling- in the shadows was holding a penlight or some other small source."

The older elves sitting back watching the scene unfold were highly amused at the rapt attention that Ithilwen had brought over them. These warriors that had fought in the War of the Ring were huddled together on the floor of a den listening to a young elleth speak of a suspenseful story as if they were all children.

"Jake approached the corner. The edges of the plastic sheet met to form some sort of corner, but at the bottom, was a dark shape." Ithilwen's voice was beginning to slow down, and her voice was becoming more and more of a whisper.

"The dark shape was holding the light."

Ithilwen was whispering so softly now that Tauriel and the others were leaning in quite far to hear what she said next. Ithilwen did her best to hold her body as still as possible.

"Jake tried to make out what it was. But all he could see was that little light."

Tauriel's forehead was nearly touching Ithilwen's she was so close. "Then it flickered, it seemed to grow brighter. It was bright enough to begin lighting the corner. Jake could almost make out the shape of a yellow, smiling-"

No one expected Ithilwen to reach out and grab Tauriel by the shoulders and scream a high pitched, blood curdling scream.

The effect was instant.

Tauriel screamed, grabbing Ithilwen's shoulders in return. Arwen screamed. Eowyn screamed. And not that any of the males in the room would admit to it, they screamed as well.

Meanwhile, over on the other side of the room, laughter was bubbling up from the elven lords. This distracted the screaming youngsters, and caused them to look over at the dimly lit side of the room.

"It's not funny, Ada!" the twins cried.

"Yes it is," Thranduil said, wiping tears from his eyes. "Seeing the lot of you go to pieces over a simple story was the funniest thing that I had seen in a while!"

Tauriel looked back at Ithilwen. "But what was it? What did Jake see?"

Ithilwen grinned. "No one knows. The suspense of the story is what makes it so scary. And the scream at the end too," she added. The elleth looked around her, expecting to see glares directed her way, but all she saw was embarrassed laughter.

The balrog slayer beside her chuckled. "I find it most interesting that the Peredhril twins screamed like little girls, don't you, Lord Elrond?" The elf lord said nothing in return, he simply rubbed his face with his hands tiredly.

x.x.x.x.x

A/N: This was written last November during Nanowrimo, so if the writing is shoddy, that's why. ;) I only went in to add in to update the names to make sure everyone was mentioned and correct my spelling. I don't know where I found this scary story, or even what the name of it is, but I know I sat up that night laughing my ass off and could not help but use it. Whoever came up with it was pure wicked, and credit goes to them. It also seemed appropriate to end summer with a scary story, since I've been seeing trick or treat commercials a lot lately. I AM THE HORESLESS HEADSMAN! XD


	4. Far Away

A/N: This takes place somewhere between chapters 40 and 43 of Call Me Maybe. It's a deleted scene because while it fits with the storyline, there just wasn't a specific chapter that it would sit with.

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Conversation had shifted from the eldest of the elves sailing West to Valinor to what would happen to those that chose to stay behind for a while longer. Ithilwen had been busy sketching in her book during the talk, but had come to an abrupt halt when it was mentioned that Legolas would be moving to Ithilien to start a colony of elves to restore the lands in Gondor to their former beauty.

"Ithilien?" she asked, looking up from her book at the elf beside her. "You're moving?"

"Yes."  
Ithilwen felt the pencil slip out of her hand. "That's like...a long way away, isn't it?" She wasn't sure what hurt worse, the idea that Legolas would be moving away after they returned to middle-earth, or that he sounded so calm about the idea.

"About a week's travel, I would imagine," he said. "Perhaps two, depending on how fast one travels."

"Oh." Ithilwen looked back down at her book sadly. "You're going to be so far away..." she said softly.

Across the room, Morwen could feel the sadness radiating off her oldest child. She elbowed her husband in the side, motioning to take notice. Ithilwen had her head bent over her sketchbook, but Morwen knew she was upset. Their relationship had surged forward so suddenly, it was no wonder that she would feel fear at being separated from the prince.

Legolas had also taken notice of Ithilwen's change in mood. He slowly slid his hand underneath hers, squeezing it to get her attention. When she looked back up, he said, "You could always come with me."

He felt his heart swell with the light that returned to Ithilwen's eyes. "To..to the colony?" she asked, unsure. Ithilwen looked over at her parents for help. Her naneth was smiling widely, but her adar looked as surprised as she was.

"Did you expect to be forced to live at home with us for good?" Morwen laughed at her daughter's expression. "Ithilwen, you can live wherever you wish. Your adar and I will likely sail to Valinor with your grandmother, so you and Fiona will be on your own."

"And your grandmother will likely take a tour of middle-earth before she departs," Galadriel said from the doorway, giving a meaningful look to Haldir, almost telling him that she didn't intend to leave immediately. She knew that the marchwarden was not ready to part from his children, nor that his children were ready to sail just yet.

Ithilwen turned to look back up at Legolas, who was watching her anxiously. "You don't mind?" she asked timidly.

"Of course not!" He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You are my mate. I wouldn't be able to settle without having you by my side." Then he spoke louder, for his friend's benefit. "I would remain restless until I convinced your adar that I was suitable of taking care of you."

Haldir laughed. "You are more than capable, mellon-nin, though I believe Ithilwen would disagree about being cared for!"

"You got that right, Ada!" Ithilwen mock-pouted at Legolas, who laughed, glad that she was back to a good mood.

x.x.x.x.x

A/N: Considering that Legolas _does_ move to Ithilien some time after the war to rebuild the land with some elves, I thought it was important to mention, but like I said it just wouldn't fit anywhere in the story. It also shows that Ithilwen isn't quite as grown up as she'd like to believe, something I've been trying to show without her being whiny all the time. Cause let's face it, even at her age - which is pretty far off in our eyes - she's still seen as young, and with the age gap between her and Legolas, this little insecurity just adds on to her character. Or, I hope it does. ;)


	5. What's In A Name?

A/N: This scene takes place between chapters 42 and 43 and actually came about from a random doodle of Legolas and Ithilwen I did. Check the tumblr link on my profile for all the Call Me Maybe art and stuff! :)

x.x.x.x.x

The weather was bright and sunny that afternoon, which led to the occupants of the household enjoying the time outside. The noble lords and ladies were gathered around the table situated at the corner of the large porch, enjoying the atmosphere and watching the younger generation move about the yard as the small Bennet children and their friends taught them some of the modern yard games. Bernard had come down from the North Pole to visit as well, taking delight in the sight of other elves that didn't string themselves up with festive lights.

Two people, however, were presently occupied with their own devices. Ithilwen sat back-to-back with Legolas, with a sketch pad in her lap and pencils at her side. They ha decided to explore their newfound ability to communicate with the other through thought, and were attempting to recreate what the other projected in speed sketches. As much fun as Ithilwen was having with this, she was frustrated because she could not figure out what Legolas had meant when he called her 'melamin'. The only thing he had told her was that it was a term of endearment, but he hadn't said anything else on the matter, other than that she had to figure it out for herself.

Ithilwen set her pencil down and leaned back against Legolas' back, letting her head fall back against his shoulder. "Come on, Legolas? Pleeeaassseee?"

A chuckle came from the broad back. "Tell me what it is you're begging for, Ithilwen."

"I wanna know what melamin means."

"Have you had any luck making a guess?"

"No..."

"Then how can I tell you if you haven't formed a solution on your own?"

"That's mean, Legolas."

Another chuckle. "You've been the tease Ithilwen, and I haven't called you mean."

She almost turned around, but her position was too comfortable to move. "_How_ have I been a tease?" she asked incredulously.

Instead of answering out loud, Legolas sent Ithilwen images of the way he had seen her, starting all the way back from the Fourth of July cookout to the cosplays, body painting photos to her 'special' photos. Their connection wasn't the greatest yet, as Galadriel had explained to them the day after their discovery, but being in close contact strengthened the link. Ithilwen gasped softly, not expecting for Legolas to have such...incriminating evidence...but now that she saw his perspective a wave of guilt came over her.

"Sorry," she mumbled, and Legolas felt her move away slightly until he grabbed her hand.

"Why do you apologize?"

'I didn't realize that I was getting you worked up at night,' she answered dryly, recalling the other night when she discovered that he had nicked her romance novel. She felt Legolas stiffen against her, and the response to her statement made her want to laugh out loud, considering the statement.

Legolas recalled dreaming of hauling Ithilwen up into the high lofts of a stable, wearing some dark green plaid garb called a kilt. She was dressed similar to the gown she wore earlier that day, with the addition of an outer bodice that enhanced her bust - not that it took much effort. He had been above her, raining kisses down across her flushed skin, while her hands explored his abdomen with feather light touches that made him groan. The Ithilwen in his dream had gone from giggling and moaning his name to yelling at him and calling him a pervert, when he realized that the real Ithilwen was the one doing the screeching and whacking him with a pillow. Being woken from the dream so quickly, he was still in a daze, but he definitely recalled Ithilwen holding a pillow in her hands, cheeks flushed as she told him that not only had he given her his erotic dream, but that she speculated that he was the cause of them all along. It wasn't until she left the room that he realized why she may have hit him, and Legolas was left feeling thoroughly embarrassed that night.

'I didn't realize that I was doing the same to you either,' he countered, remembering that she had unknowingly mentioned that this hadn't been the first dream. Her gasp made him smirk. 'So how many dreams have there been?'

'I-I don't know...' she managed to get out. Ithilwen had hoped Legolas would have forgotten that part.

'There's nothing wrong with them,' he tried assuring her, feeling that she was growing uncomfortable. 'And did you not say that we could talk about anything a couple months ago?'

'Yeah, I did...'

'Alright.' Legolas paused, and Ithilwen thought she was off the hook. Nope. 'Did you like them?'

'Sweet Eru, Legolas! I'm going to be stuck in permanent blush mode!' Ithilwen dropped her sketch pad in her lap and began to try and rub the heat from her cheeks.

'But you blush so becomingly, melamin. Now answer the question.'

'I...I...fine. I did.'

'You did...what?'

Legolas was teasing her, she just knew it. 'I liked the dreams, okay! And don't look so smug! I may not be looking at you right now, but I know you are!'

'Can I ask you something else, then?'

'That depends, but go on.'

'Have you ever...taken liberties with these dreams?'

'Are you seriously asking me if I've-'

'I'll answer if you do.'

Now Ithilwen was curious, but she wasn't sure if she was curious enough to answer first. Still, it was probably the only answer she'd get today. 'Sometimes...'

The answer was almost a whisper, even through their link, but it floored Legolas. He hadn't expected her to answer, regardless of the answer itself. This was just another example of how different Ithilwen was to other ellith; you couldn't get them to give you a straight answer in this type of conversation if you threatened to dye their hair blue. 'I have as well,' he finally said, remembering that he had agreed to answer his own question.

'Frequently?' And from the tone, Ithilwen was back to teasing.

The sound of pencils and sketch pads sliding across the porch was the only warning Ithilwen got before she found herself flipped onto her back on the porch floor, with Legolas pinning her down. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he said in a low husky tone. His hands held her wrists above her head, knowing that she was likely to pull another pinching move. After the threat on his thighs, he knew she could get a good grip if she wanted to.

Ithilwen wiggled her fingers. "Congratulations, my Lord. You've managed to capture a defenseless elleth. What ever are you going to do with me?"

Legolas' eyes darkened, though whether it was from her coy line or the feel of her legs brushing his jean-clad thighs was another matter. In an instant, he felt her legs slip from between his and wrap about his waist. Ithilwen pushed her hips forward, using the friction as a distraction her advantage as she flipped Legolas onto his back, coming to straddle his middle. She rested her arms on top of his chest, grinning triumphantly at his dazed and confused expression.

"No ellon should underestimate an elleth that appears defenseless, cause you never know if she's got a trick up her sleeves!"

Despite Ithilwen's maneuver, she wasn't able to secure his arms, and Legolas easily sat up, shifting Ithilwen into his lap. "And you should never underestimate me, melamin. I'm much stronger than I appear."

Ithilwen felt a tender squeeze on her bottom and squeaked. Legolas had pinched her ass! She gawked at him in disbelief. "I can't believe you did that!"

"I can't believe you didn't anticipate it."

"Well I hope you got your fill, cause you won't be doing that again!"

Legolas leaned forward, coming nose to nose with Ithilwen. "Then I suggest you start running, melamin..."

She didn't need to be told twice.

Across the porch, the Lords and Ladies of the elven realms watched with growing interest in the pair that sat cross-legged drawing.

"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like for them if they had met under normal circumstances?" Celebrian mused to her sister.

"Do you mean if the Ring of Power had still come to light?" Haldir clarified. "Considering his attachment to Ithilwen," he sighed, "I'm not so sure he would have left Lothlorien with the Ring bearer."

Galadriel had a devious smile that made the marchwarden concerned. "Is that your belief as well, my Lady?"

She drummed her fingers lightly on the patio table as she watched her granddaughter's expressions change. She could tell that they were practicing their mental communication, and from the looks of it, while they were succeeding, Ithilwen needed more practice in schooling her emotions. "I believe…that the young prince might have taken her with him."

"I can see how well that would have gone over," Elrond chuckled.

"Very poorly, to say the least," Morwen grinned. "But she would still have been of age, so it's not as if we could really stop her if she chose to go."

"Have you forgotten of the stories we've told you?" Haldir reminded her.

"Of course not, but have you forgotten how Legolas has been taking care of Ithilwen?" she countered. "Even when they were meeting in dreams, he helped her bounce back from the breakup with that boy, and then he beat his face inside out at Jerry's ranch. Legolas has been very good to our daughter, and I have no doubt that he would have kept her safe if she had traveled with them." She paused to take a drink of her iced tea. "It's not like we wouldn't have trained her in defensive and offensive maneuvers, anyway."

Haldir nodded, albeit reluctantly. He knew his wife was right, but that didn't mean he liked admitting it.

A thump from the pair's general direction had everyone turning to see that Legolas had pinned Ithilwen beneath him, looking quite smug about it too. Morwen nudged Miraear. "Did Legolas ever roughhouse with ellith when he was an elfling?" she asked curiously.

"Only Tauriel, but that was before he surpassed her in size. After that he was afraid he would hurt her…and then she'd climb him like a tree as soon as he turned his back."

Another thump came, and with surprise, the elves watched as Ithilwen managed to overpower Legolas and set his back onto the floor.

"Perhaps your daughter isn't as defenseless as you believed," Thranduil murmured to a stunned Haldir.

"It's those fighting video games her and Fiona played. And these mortals say that violent games bring out violent actions," Morwen scoffed. "Please, that was an excellent move-"

"-That backfired," Celeborn stated flatly as Ithilwen shot up from Legolas' lap like a rocket and took off around the corner of the porch, the prince hot on her heels.

Footsteps were hard to hear as they moved to complete their first lap on the wrap-around porch, but Ithilwen's squeals followed by Legolas' laughs and taunts were hard to miss. The elleth slid on bare feet as she came to the corner where they were seated and slid slightly to avoid colliding with the table, before taking off in a sprint around the next corner. Legolas didn't have as much difficulty with the turns, much to her disappointment.

"How long do you think they'll keep this up?" Miraear asked the group.

"Do you mean the chase, or the teasing?" Morwen asked with a laugh. "And what form of teasing, at that?"

"He's going to catch her, you know," Thranduil said. "Legolas has always been a stubborn ellon when he sets his mind to something."

"Ithilwen might ought to tone down the teasing, then." Celebrian noted. "I've no doubt that your son has patience, Thranduil, but I can't help but feel that he's only going to take so much."

"I think she's beginning to understand that," Galadriel spoke up. "Regardless, I cannot see Legolas doing anything that would hurt her."

"You're right, Naneth," Morwen said. "You can see it clear as day. Legolas absolutely adores Ithilwen."

The group fell silent for a moment, collecting their thoughts, when a high pitched squeal from the other side of the house caught their attention. Legolas appeared, not around the normal path they had run, but around the last corner they took with Ithilwen slung over his shoulder, while she squirmed and bemoaned at being caught. Celeborn swirled his tea glass as he stated, "He caught her."

x.x.x.x.x

A/N: Something silly that came from a drawing, who'd a thunk it? As always, let me know what you think and if there's something you'd like to see! :)


	6. Alternate Chapter 43

A/N: A head's up that this is an _alternate chapter_ - and also potentially spoiling if you haven't read chapter 43 of Call Me Maybe yet, so you might want to read that one first.

x.x.x.x.x

Ithilwen should have known that the day would be an interesting one.

For starters, she woke up face first in the floor. Actually, she was attempting to get out of the bed when her foot caught in the sheet, sending her tumbling to the floor in a heap with her nose pressed against the hard wood planks. Well, she thought, at least I swept the floor.

After untangling herself and getting dressed, she slipped on the necklace that had become a trademark habit for her since it was given to her. The necklace was a simple chain that held a leaf shaped pendant in a green stone lined with what looked like silver. She was never quite sure what the necklace was made of, and made a mental note to file the question for Legolas away for another time.

She carefully made her way down the steps, lest any surprises decide to jump out and attack. Finding none, but none the less paranoid, she entered the kitchen to pour herself some orange juice. Ithilwen had not seen anyone around the house yet, and was quick to assume that they were sleeping in.

She was wrong.

"Good morning, little one! How are you today?" came the calm voice of Thranduil from behind her.

Ithilwen tried to not let it show that he had just scared the bejeezus out of her, but she was not sure if she was convincing. "G-good morning, your highness," she stuttered. "I have had better mornings, honestly. How are you?"

"I am well, though I do apologize for startling you this early Ithilwen." He said with sincerity.

She shook her head. "Oh no, it wasn't you, your highness! I sort of... face planted when I got out of bed this morning; my foot got caught in the sheet and I went down."

The king chuckled at the image as Ithilwen collected some glasses from the cabinet. He nodded his affirmative when she gestured in question if he would like some juice to drink, and watched as she poured the liquid carefully into the glasses. It was only after she had tucked the hair behind her ear that he noticed the necklace. "My dear, that is an interesting necklace. Might I inquire as to where you got it?"

Ithilwen looked up as she passed the filled glass to the king. "My necklace?" she asked. "Oh, well... actually, Legolas gave it to me, so you would have to ask him for the details."

"He did?" This was interesting. Very interesting. He decided to pry a little further and see just how much she knew concerning the purpose of that necklace. "What did he tell you of that necklace?" he asked curiously.

Ithilwen fingered the piece of jewelry as she thought back to the dream in which she received it. "Legolas didn't tell me much about the necklace. He said that when he was an elfling he was told that he could give it to the elleth that he felt deserved it, and he said that he felt that was me. I told him many times that I could not accept it, but he insisted and eventually wore me down. Why, is there something wrong? He isn't going to get in trouble, is he?"

Thranduil laughed. "By the Valar no, Ithilwen. Legolas did as he was told. He chose to give the necklace to you, and to you it now belongs. Do you recognize the material the jewelry is made of?"

Ithilwen shrugged,. "I assumed it was a type of silver. It is so light that I tend to forget that I am even wearing the necklace at all."

"That is because the necklace is made of mithril," he said with smile. "The pendant is an emerald, just so you know." He watched as the woman visibly paled at the words.

"I need to speak with Legolas," she mumbled. "He shouldn't be giving me gifts like this! This is a gift he should give to his life partner or something."

Thranduil took the glass from Ithilwen's hands and set it on the counter beside his. "My dear, what do you think you are?" He could feel the elleth stiffen at the words.

"What are you talking about?" she asked warily.

"Surely you know that the necklace Legolas has given you has been a proposal for marriage!" he blurted out without thinking. Seeing the look on her face go from suspicious to shocked, to something unidentifiable, he added, "You really did not know, did you Ithilwen?"

Ithilwen was shocked, to say the least. A proposal? Marriage?! She was hoping that the king of Mirkwood was making a joke, but all humor was set aside for concern and surprise at her lack of knowledge on the topic of this particular piece of jewelry. The king released her hands and she made a grab for the counter to steady herself, fearing that waking up would not be the last time that she kissed the floor today.

"I... I need... I need to... to... LEGOLAS!" Ithilwen hollered, spinning on her heal and seeking out the young prince of Mirkwood, the father right on her heels.

* * *

It did not take long to locate Legolas, as he was in the living room having a discussion with Haldir. Both rose to their feet at seeing Ithilwen storm into the room, with a rattled looking king following right behind each step she took. Ithilwen did not see that Thranduil was about to speak, so she did not realize that she had cut him off at the pass when she looked Legolas directly in the eye and stated loudly, "What is this about a proposal?!" all the while digging in her shirt and retrieving the chain and pendant.

To say that the two elves were even more surprised would be an understatement. Haldir looked from his daughter, to Legolas, then to Thranduil, and back to Ithilwen. Thranduil looked as if he was the unfortunate soul to admit to the Valar that the Halls of Mandos were gone. Ithilwen looked like she was confused, but he could clearly feel the emotions coming off of her: she was shocked, infuriated, and a little scared. Legolas was frozen in place by her words, and the blank expression that elves were known for was nonexistent in him.

"Proposal?" He finally managed to get out.

His soft tone did not deter Ithilwen from her tirade. "Yes. Proposal. As in marriage. Your father just told me that this necklace you gave me was a proposal! Around here most men propose to women with rings, but I can see where that might be a touchy subject back home. Regardless, if you propose to someone you should have the good graces to actually tell the person that you want to marry them! Now would you kindly explain this necklace!?" She was doing her best to keep from shaking with anger, and she could not figure out just why she was angry. Ithilwen knew one day that she would marry, that did not bother her. But being secretly propositioned for marriage was a little much for her to handle, and it was with this thought that she voiced her displeasure about being kept out of the loop to Legolas.

Legolas stood there as she all but yelled at him, still trying to figure out where this came about. When he was certain that she was finished, he replied in a calmer manner. "I do not understand. I never proposed to you, Ithilwen."

She was not sure if it was the way he said it or the words themselves, but it stung. A lot. Ithilwen felt a cold chill pass over her skin as he spoke, and her heart was hurting by the end of the sentence. Legolas still looked at her calmly, not realizing what he had done with those words.

"You…you never proposed. I should have known. Maybe I would not have been so stupid." Ithilwen murmured, looking down at the necklace she still wore. "I see. Well," she reached behind her to undo the clasp and remove the piece of jewelry. "Since this necklace was obviously meant for your bride to be, perhaps when you get back to Mirkwood or whatever you are calling it now you can give it to the woman that so rightly deserves it." Ithilwen did her best to not let her hands shake as she reached for Legolas' hand to place the necklace within his palm. She was not sure she was successful, but she had to do it. It was not meant for her. Legolas had no intentions of marrying her.

As soon as the necklace was within his grasp, she pulled away as if she were burned. This did not go unnoticed by any of the elves in the room. Ithilwen backed away from the elf. Just seeing that look of confusion on his face was too much for her to deal with right now.

"I- I have to go," she said, backing up further before turning into Thranduil and narrowly missing colliding into his chest. She muttered an apology and fled the room, not stopping to acknowledge her name being called by the one man she thought would not hurt her. She tore through the house, leaving behind a flurry of confusion from everyone she passed, not stopping to speak. Out the front door she went, into her car and down the street.

She had to get away.

* * *

"What is this about marriage, Thranduilion?" Haldir growled.

Legolas turned to face the marchwarden. "I do not know! Adar was the one that told… Ithilwen…" He turned back to face his father. "Adar, why did you tell Ithilwen that I proposed to her with that necklace?"

Thranduil was about to answer when Morwen ran into the den. "What is going on here? I just saw Ithilwen run out the door in tears! I called to her but she would not stop." She looked around at the men and felt the atmosphere was not pleasant. "What is going on?" she repeated, more sternly. "Who made my daughter cry?"

The King of Mirkwood placed a hand on the tense woman's shoulder. "I believe I can explain everything, but it would be wise if everyone were to take a seat." He remained standing while the others perched on one of the couches. "Morwen, you recall the necklace that Ithilwen was wearing?"

She began to nod, but seeing the king's son holding the very necklace in his hand, she grew more concerned. "Why is she not wearing it?" she asked the room. "Ithilwen adored that necklace." She did not miss the pained expression on the son's face as she said this.

"It is because of me, Lady Morwen," Legolas said.

"No, ion nin, the fault is not yours. The fault is mine," Thranduil corrected. "I happened to notice that Ithilwen was wearing the necklace this morning in the kitchen. I asked her where she received it, and she told me that Legolas had bestowed the necklace to her as a gift. When I explained the material used to create it, she said that she did not deserve such a gift, and meant to return it to him. When I asked her why, she said that she was nothing special, and that the necklace was meant for his lover. Thus, I proceeded to tell her that she was deserving, as the necklace was a proposal of marriage. There appears to have been some confusion, as Ithilwen did not know that piece of information. Further, it appears that my son was not aware of the implications of that necklace."

"Of course I did not know, Adar! Neither you nor Naneth saw it fit to tell me when you gave me the necklace. Naneth had me carry that necklace when I rode to Rivendell for the Council meeting, because she felt that I would need it on my journey."

Morwen looked between the flustered father and the upset son. "But I do not understand why she took off like that."

"That fault lies with me," Legolas groaned. "I thought that if I had spoken calmly, that she would be able to relax. I did not know that the necklace was meant for my bride. I gave it to Ithilwen because I felt that she was the one that it was meant for. I could not explain this, as she ran out of the room after returning the necklace to me."

A new voice spoke, bringing their attention to the Lady of Light standing in the doorway. "You felt that way because the Valar deemed that it was destiny for the two of you to be together," Galadriel said, drifting into the room soundlessly.

"Do you mean that they are soul mates?" Morwen asked her mother.

"Yes."

Legolas rose suddenly and began to pace the room. He could not believe this! First he was dreaming of an unknown elleth, only to learn that she was quite real, and could communicate with him through the dream plane. Then he learned that Ithilwen was the daughter of Haldir, and was in a whole other world by accident of a miscalculating wizard. Not to be forgotten was the emphatic feelings they shared, both good and bad by this connection. Finally, he learns that the jewelry he had given to her as a gift was meant to secure her as a bride, and now her grandmother was telling him that they were destined for each other! To top all of that off, he had to go a make a mess of the entire thing by telling her that he had not intended to ask for her hand-

Sweet Eru, he had done it. The shaking hands, her desire to be as far away from him as possible, it all made sense. He had hurt her. Unintentionally, but he had still made her cry. Still grasping the necklace within his hand, this realization hit him like a warg and he sunk down onto the closest seat. The creak of the leather that reached his ears was deafening, bringing back all of the memories of the two sharing the couch. And he had ruined that.

"She must hate me," he said to himself, forgetting that he was not alone in the room.

"Nay, young prince," Galadriel spoke softly. "You were just as confused as Ithilwen. The matter is only a misunderstanding that can be repaired."

"Can it?" He asked. "Can I take away that hurt look that I saw in her eyes as she backed away from me? Can I take away the tears that she is crying now because of what I had said?" Legolas shook his head. "I do not see how she would so much as look at me."

Morwen rose and crossed the room to Legolas. "The only one saying that it is too late in this room is yourself, Legolas. Ithilwen is upset, yes, but I know that if you were to seek her out and explain everything, that it would work out." She reached out and placed her hand against his cheek, bringing him to face her. "I have never seen Ithilwen act the way she has around a young man the way that she does around you. She has never been this happy before, and I would hate to see what the two of you have be severed by something so trivial as this. You need to go out and find her, Legolas. Explain everything and make her see that you knew as much as she did."

She pulled Legolas to his feet. He looked down at Ithilwen's mother and nodded. "I will, thank you, Lady Morwen."

Morwen patted his cheek softly and laughed. "Good. Because until you came along Legolas I was beginning to worry that I would never have grandchildren." She ignored the way he paled in surprise at her words and pushed him out of the den to get him moving. When she turned to face the remaining elves, she noticed her own mother giving her a knowing smile. Thranduil was amused at her words. Her husband, on the other hand, looked ready to have a fit. "Grandchildren!?" he sputtered in disbelief. "Our daughter is barely an adult!"

* * *

Two hours had passed since Ithilwen had left the house in a rush of tears, and Legolas was about to come undone waiting for her to return. He had to make this right. Now that he knew the truth, it made all the more sense to him, and he wanted to make it up to her. He wanted her to know that she was all that he could ever want. Morwen was pacing the floor, pressing buttons into her cell phone with nimble fingers.

"I'm getting worried," she said. "Ithilwen never lets her phone go to voicemail like this."

"Maybe she's just on the road and can't stop to answer?" Fiona asked.

Morwen shook her head. "Not like this. She would have stopped somewhere by now and answered when she saw it was me calling." She set the phone down on the coffee table and went to get a glass of water.

Fiona reached over and patted Legolas' hand. "Try not to worry," she told him. "I'm sure that once you explain to Ithilwen that you didn't know the significance of that ring, she'll come around. It's happened before, remember?"

"Yes. I only wish that there had never been any misunderstandings to begin with."

"It happens with all couples. The thing to remember is that as long as both people are willing to talk it out, there's some hope. I wouldn't write Ithilwen off; she doesn't take relationships lightly. I bet wherever she is right now, she's trying to find the words so that when she comes back, this can all be resolved." No sooner had she said that, the phone rang on the coffee table, making them jump. "See? Bet that's her now.." Fiona reached down to pick up the phone with a smile, but frowned as she answered. "Hello? Um.. just a second - Mom! Mom!"

Morwen came running into the living room to see Fiona looking unsettled, holding the cell phone out to her. "It's for you," she said. "It's Burgess Regional Hospital. They want to talk to you..."

Taking the phone with slightly shaking hands, Morwen made it known she was on the line and listened to the correspondence from the other end. "T-Thank you." Her hands began to tremble as Haldir walked into the room, making it hard to end the phone call. "Oh my god...oh my god..."

"What's wrong Mom?"

Haldir had seconds to catch Morwen before she collapsed into tears on the floor. He cradled her in his arms as she began to cry uncontrollably, worrying not only the marchwarden, but everyone else in the house as she tried to collect herself enough to speak. "What is wrong, melleth?"

"It's...it's... Ithilwen," she choked out, "She's at the...hospital...accident...hurt...my baby..."

Fiona, among others, gasped. Legolas felt as if someone had punched him in the heart. Haldir managed to recover first. "What do you mean, accident?"

Morwen shook her head. "I don't...know...T-they won't...t-tell m-me...on the...p-phone." She hobbled to get back on her feet, wiping her eyes. "I need...to go," she sniffled. "I need to see her."

Figuring out who would be going to the hospital brought up a firestorm of outbursts. When Morwen had calmed herself enough, she got herself cleaned up to go, leaving Haldir to face the drama downstairs alone.

"Not everyone can go," he tried to reason without getting angry. "We don't even know what we're going to face when we get there. It would be best if only a few went."

"I'm going," Legolas said firmly, locking eyes with the marchwarden. "I will not leave her again."

Haldir wanted to protest. He wanted to tell the prince that it would be best for him to stay home, but he also witnessed the utter upset the elf had been dealing with from earlier. "That is fine," he relented.

"Then we are going as well." Miraear demanded, motioning to herself and Thranduil. "For support."

"That includes us as well," Galadriel added. Haldir knew better than to protest the requests of the Lords and Ladies of Lothlorien and Mirkwood.

Morwen came downstairs looking slightly better, though Haldir could see the puffiness in her eyes from crying. "Fiona," she asked, "could you go get me some clothes? For Ithilwen? Something comfortable that's easy to put on." Fiona left the room with a silent nod and dashed upstairs, returning shortly with a small bag of clothes for her mother. Morwen took the bag and hugged her other daughter. "Take care of things while we're gone? I'll call you as soon as I know something."

* * *

Ithilwen awoke to feel as if her body had been run through a mangler. Everything hurt, and she kept hearing a dripping sound that was quickly becoming the Freddy Krueger of her bladder. She tried to move, only to gasp out loud in pain - what was worse, she had barely moved an inch!

"Easy now," a soft voice said to her, "What do you need?"

"Bathroom," Ithilwen replied, surprised to find her voice so dry. "And water." She looked up at the face of the woman who was talking to her, who happened to be at the high school reunion. "Becky?"

"Yup. I didn't expect to find you here of all places. Okay, we're gonna move slow. Deep breaths, these first movements are gonna suck something major."

Becky wasn't kidding. As she was helped to stand, Ithilwen had reached out to grab the source of her bladder drama, the IV stand by her bed. Using it and Becky as makeshift crutches, she took small steps across the cold tiled floor to the bathroom. Under normal circumstances, Ithilwen might have been mortified to have to have assistance with getting up from the toilet, but her relieved body didn't have the strength to care. Besides, Becky was a nurse; she had done more invasive things than steady someone on the toilet.

Once she was back in bed, Ithilwen had to ask. "What happened to me?"

"You were in a hell of an accident," came a new voice from the doorway. Both women turned to see William and Gene standing there, holding flowers. "Is it alright to visit?"

"Of course," Becky replied, straightening the bedcovers. "Come on in. I've got one more patient to check on before my break." She turned back to Ithilwen. "You hungry? I can pick you up something to eat?"

"I thought I was supposed to be subjected to hospital food?" she asked wryly.

"I wouldn't do that to someone in your condition."

"That would be lovely, thank you Becky."

When Becky left the room, Gene and William moved to sit by the bed. Gene placed the flowers in a vase by the table. "What were you doing out by yourself?" he asked. "I thought that you would have been back at home with your lover." Gene chuckled to himself, but when he didn't hear laughter from the elleth, he looked up to see the saddest expression on her face. "What happened?"

"You're kidding," William sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"It has to be some sort of mistake," Gene debated. "I mean, Legolas doesn't seem like the type of guy to be so heartless."

Ithilwen had explained everything that took place that morning, up to when she got in the Jeep and drove off. Now that she had the time to process everything, she began to think back to the other misunderstandings that they had. Was Gene right? "Should I forgive him?"

"I wouldn't...not so easily," Gene added. "I'd allow him the chance to explain his side so that you two can figure out where to go from there, because you're already in enough pain as it is, from the looks of it."

"Is it that bad?"

William found Ithilwen's bag that Gene had rescued from the wreck and pulled out her compact mirror, handing it to her. Ithilwen took the open compact and got her first look at her reflection. "For fuck's sake," she swore.

"I do believe she's on the way to recovery, my love," Gene said with a smile.

* * *

Healing halls back in middle earth had nothing on a modern hospital, the out-of-place elves soon realized. People hustled about the floors, various beeps and cries echoed down the hallways, and the smell of sterile instruments and Lysol was enough to make one sick.

Morwen had driven like a bat out of hell to get to the hospital, and Haldir ironically discovered who had taught Ithilwen to drive as the Cherokee went on three wheels as she moved over a curb in the visitor's parking lot. It was also a good thing that no one else had come with them, as it was crowded enough in the building without the worry of losing someone.

"Excuse me," Morwen tried to catch a passing nurse with a clipboard, only to get shrugged off. "Excuse me," she tried again with another, only to be pointed towards the check-in desk. Worried, and growing irritated, she stalked to the desk, slapping her hand loudly against the sign-in sheet. "EXCUSE ME!"

The receptionists that had been in a celebrity gossip-fest jumped half a foot at Morwen's exclamation. "Y-yes ma'am, what can I help you with?" The one with glasses stuttered.

"Someone called me not long ago to tell me that my daughter was in an accident. Her name's Ithilwen Haldiriel-"

Before Morwen could finish, the receptionist's fingers were flying across the keyboard. "I see. Ithilwen was moved from ER not long ago, and she's in a private room." She reached for a sticky note and pen, writing down the room number and directions.

"Do you know what happened?" Haldir asked, grasping Morwen's hand.

The receptionist shook her head. "I'm not certain, sir. I started my shift just as a couple ambulances pulled up, and one of the riders was talking about a nasty wreck over on Old Lexington with a couple cars. I was given this information as I was sitting down..." When Morwen covered her mouth, the receptionist added, "It might just be a coincidence, ma'am. Doctor Todd should be on the floor doing check-ins with patients; he's been the one that's looked after her, so he could tell you exactly what happened."

* * *

Becky had returned early from her break to smuggle in some "fast finger food" for Ithilwen and to help her get to the bathroom. Gene and William went to step outside the room, only to collide with the elleth's doctor, who came to check on her injuries. For privacy, they remained outside, standing across the hall as Morwen and the others approached.

"Oh thank god they called you!" Gene sighed, relieved. "Will didn't bring his phone, mine won't get any bars, and these wardens are horrid when it comes to making a phone call."

"What he means is, 'We're glad you're here' and Doctor Todd just went into the room to check on Ithilwen."

"What happened?" Morwen asked slowly.

The two exchanged a look, and Gene silently decided to be the bearer of bad news. "Ithilwen was in a bad wreck, Morwen. William and I were cutting through Old Lexington when we saw the debris on the road. Ithilwen's jeep...it's totaled. We think the truck got up under it, clipped it's corner, and it rolled off road. The truck belongs...or belonged, since it's now impaled in a tree...was Payne's."

A distinctive growl came from behind Haldir, and Miraear placed her hands on her son's shoulders to try and calm him. Both men noticed that the elf prince shook, and the light glinting off the chain looked horribly familiar. 'So it isn't like what Ithilwen thought,' William mused, nudging his lover to continue with the story.

"Right. Sorry. Anyway, when we got pulled over and got Ithilwen out of the jeep, I called for an ambulance as Will took off after the truck. Turns out Payne was driving drunk, and Rick and Daryn also got caught in the blast. They've got some nasty cuts and bruises, maybe some fractures, but Payne... Legolas you'd be proud of my baby! Once Will got him out of the truck he laid in on him!"

"Was it necessary?" Celeborn asked, not out of insensitivity to his granddaughter, but out of curiosity.

"No, but it felt good. We've stopped by his room once, and he's out cold. Don't care what condition he's in, really; he had this coming for a long time."

The sound of the door closing diverted everyone's attention from the story being told. "Mrs. Haldiriel?" the man asked, holding a clip board in one hand. Morwen reached out to shake his hand. "I'm Doctor Todd. I've been taking care of your daughter since she was brought in-" A throat being cleared from behind corrected him. "-my mistake. Nurse Becky has been standing vigil for her in every free moment she's had."

Becky smiled proudly and nodded to each of them as she moved to her next assignment.

"What's Ithilwen's condition?" Galadriel asked.

"You're family?" Doctor Todd looked between each of them.

Morwen set to correcting his doubt. "My parents, my husband, and Ithilwen's fiancé and his parents." Feeling the probing question from her mother, she mentally added 'If I didn't say that then they wouldn't be allowed in. It's not like back home.'

Doctor Todd looked surprised as he flipped through the sheets of paper in hand. "Right, well. Ithilwen has suffered some heavy injuries, but they're not life threatening. From the description these gentlemen gave me, when her car rolled, her seatbelt broke and tossed her across the dashboard. She's sporting a shiner the likes I haven't seen in years on her right side, her right arm has three fractures, there are three broken ribs, and she's got a twisted knee to go with the numerous cuts and bruises. Now, I've got her on an IV with some painkillers, but she's still sore. It might just take a couple days before she can go home-"

"No." Everyone turned to look at Legolas.

"My brother-in-law is a practiced physician," Morwen explained. "Is there any way I can bring her home today, if she's under his care?"

The doctor looked to be at a loss. From the dark look the fiancé was giving her, to the worried face of the mother, it didn't look like he had many options. "I would need to write up prescriptions for her to take and file the paperwork for her to be released. She won't be able to move without assistance for at least a week, and that's wishful thinking-"

"Can I see her?" The doctor was pained to hear the weak voice come from Legolas, who looked on edge.

"She's awake," he replied, "Just be mindful of the IV. She's already complaining that it's itching."

Legolas turned to Morwen and Haldir. Morwen patted his cheek lightly before pushing him towards the door that Gene opened. It seemed like everyone else was going to stand outside and observe Morwen grill the doctor for information. As he stepped through the doorway, the sterile scent hit him again, and he wondered how anyone could stand it. The Healing chambers in middle-earth were never pleasant, but they never carried this odd smell.

Ithilwen was sitting up in the bed, looking pale, withdrawn, and in pain. She was dotted with bandages to cover the cuts that he could see, and what wasn't wrapped in some form was matted with purplish-green bruising. The right side of her face was slightly swollen from the black eye.

"Ithilwen..." he breathed softly. He wanted to cry; seeing her in such a state shouldn't have happened in the first place, and he blamed himself.

"Legolas?" When Ithilwen turned to look at him, he noticed that her face had lit up just the tiniest bit as a smile tried to show behind the cut on her bottom lip. "Legolas." She watched as he crossed the room in a few steps, coming around the bed to sit in the chair on her left side.

Legolas took Ithilwen's undamaged left hand in his and held it delicately, until Ithilwen squeezed back, and when their eyes met next, Ithilwen could see the unshed tears in his. She tried to bring her right hand up to stroke his cheek, watching as he lightly touched this one with his other hand.

"Ithilwen...I'm so sorry- I should have never-"

"Don't, please." The elleth sighed. "I'm sorry, Legolas."

"What do you have to apologize for? You have done nothing wrong."

Ithilwen snorted, then winced as it jostled her ribs. "I yelled at you. I didn't give you a chance to explain..." She sighed as she attempted to adjust her legs to a more comfortable position. Doctor Todd had told her that she came out of the wreck lucky, but she disagreed. When she found out who had been the cause of her reenacting a Nascar moment, she wanted to hobble down the hall and finish the job William had started with her IV hanger. That was why Becky had been sitting with her when she could; the nurse knew Ithilwen well enough to know that she would follow through on her bluff. "Legolas...can we, I don't know, start over? I don't want to lose you over something stupid, even if we just go back to being friends again."

Legolas, still holding her hands in his, began to kiss the tips of them lightly. "You will never lose me, Ithilwen." he said in between kisses, making her smile. "I would like that, to start over and talk about what happened, but only when you are well again."

"Doctor said that could take a while."

"The doctor doesn't know the biology of the Firstborn. You will recover quicker than he could ever expect." Legolas reached down to his pocket and retrieved the necklace, placing it in Ithilwen's good hand. "I believe this is yours."

"This is meant for-"

"For you, Ithilwen," Legolas pressed. "No other elleth from here to Valinor deserves it more than you. When I gave it to you, I knew that it was the right decision, and whatever happens will happen. Do not let its significance frighten you."

She wanted to protest and tell him that she wasn't scared, but the words died on her lips. Ithilwen knew she wasn't scared of the meaning behind the gift, but she did fear rejection if things panned out differently than she imagined. That thought alone was enough to not voice her opinion; better to talk about the elephant in the room when she was well once more. Instead, she nodded slightly at him and craned her neck forward so that he could reclasp the chain. It felt good to have the coolness of the mithril chain rest against her collarbone again. "Legolas?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to go home."

Waiting in the doorway of the room, the parents of the younglings watched as they talked. Miraear reached out to squeeze Morwen's hand, catching her attention. "Do you think that they are coming to terms?"

"In their own way," Morwen replied. "I hope that they can fix this mess between them."

"The prince won't leave her side now, you do realize that?" Galadriel smiled, watching as Ithilwen offered Legolas some of her lunch, growing frustrated that he wouldn't accept until she began to feed him herself. She would be just as beneficial to healing him as he would to her.

x.x.x.x.x

A/N: For a couple months I really considered going this route, but when I got to the "end" I couldn't find a good way to transition from Ithilwen being banged up to going back to Middle-earth. That's one reason I changed it, and another is that I couldn't see Legolas standing there and getting yelled at without something coming out sounding pissy. Not to mention that the bit about the soul mates was already explained, and this draft was written before I started changing so much stuff around, making it redundant and confusing.

So which version did you like better? :)


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